I'm going to be brutally honest with this one. I loathe the cheating trope. I read some really dark stuff but cheating just hurts my heart to its core. And this book not only has that trope but also the connection is so strong to both men, it left me so utterly confused I was doubting my own thoughts. So with that said, I had to rate this five starts because somehow, even with my most disgusted (to me) trope, somehow this author wrote it beautifully. I literally do not know how she did this? The story line is gut-wrenching. There is so much heartbreak in this book I do not know how I made it through. I do know! It was how exquisitely written this novel truly is. This is a story that will stay with you long after you digest these words. I thought the ending was appealing in its own way. I am still just shocked how this all unfolded. The suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat. Even writing this review I can feel my heart flutter. I am just floored with the beauty in this book even through the awful things that happen. This is what you call a truly talented author.

꧁𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼꧂

It’s true what they say: you can live a whole lifetime in a final moment.

Even as an adult, I could still lose myself in fictional worlds, feeling the wrench when I was forced to return to real life. (Every avid book reader 🥹)

Secrets are not safe here. They are harboured and chewed over until the people decide to release them, splintering lives with a perfectly timed, needlepoint precision. (Why did this hit so hard?) ✨one of my faves.

I heard wonderful things about this book from trusted recommendation sources so was excited to get an advance copy from the publisher. This book is truly a genre mash-up - a romance/love story, historical fiction (1950s & 1960s), a courtroom procedural, and a bit of the twists you would associate with a soap opera. Depending on which genre I was in determined how I felt at the moment. I liked the love story, particularly the parts about the narrator's first love - and how it ended - and then her present-day marriage. I was less engaged with the courtroom scenes which felt jarring and obscure. I did cry at the end but it was more manipulated to cry rather than the urge to hug the book. I'm glad I read this book but it was not the one genre I had hoped and thought it would be - a literary mystery.

I loved everything about this book. I've seen the other reviews and I can only parrot them. This book is brilliant, touching, lovely, heartbreaking. It truly has it all.

Title: Broken Country
Author: Clare Leslie Hall
Publisher: Simon & Schister
Genres: Historical Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Pub Date: March 4, 2025
My Rating: 3
Pages 320

This story takes place in the ‘Before’ of 1955, and also during the present time (of the story) of 1968. Story is told in Past and Present timelines featuring Beth

1968 ~ Beth and Frank are happily married; they work and live on their sheep farm, Story starts when the baby lambs have just been born and clustered near the barn when a stray dog appears and immediately goes for the babies. Although the adult try to block the dog and also try to pick up as many of the lambs as they can but after the dog killed several they get a gun. They no soon shoot when a young boy comes running up the field looking for his dog.
Now their grief turns to the boy.
The dog’s owner is Gabriel Wolfe. And the boy is Leo his son.
Beth and Frank’s son Bobby would be about Leo’s age but Bobby died two years ago- when a tree branch fell. It was an accident but it happened on Frank’s watch so he believes it was his fault.
Before~ Although an unlikely pair Beth Kennedy and Gabriel Wolfe start out childhood friends which grew into love their teenage years. However Gabriel left without any explanation.

Frank has always loved Beth and thankfully Beth finds his love just wants she needs and they marry.

I was really looking forward to this story as the reviews from readers I like - loved it. Then when
it was compared to " Where the Crawdads Sings" which I loved so I knew this was the story for me.

I do ‘get’ love lost and found – however, I was dreading that Beth was going to cheat on sweet Frank so I as having a hard time sticking to this story.

I was curious about the trial so I hung I there ~ Glad I did!
Story ended up with me feeling very emotional and having more empathy than I thought.
Not sure if I liked this story –it kept up thinking about it most of the night.

Want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 4, 2025.

This book broke my heart in pieces and mended it back together, albeit it changed, by the end. Without going into too much plot, farmer Frank Johnson and his wife Beth are confronted with the past when Beth's old love, Gabriel, comes back to their rural town. I loved that the book had great character development (almost Sally Rooney-esque) -- a messy tangle of people and their pasts, but also an action packed plot when old secrets come to light. You know there's a death -- the book starts with that scene -- but you don't know who or how. I couldn't put this book down. I immediately googled if they have already sold the movie rights for the book -- it's that good, I want to relive it again on the big screen. I envy those who have yet to pick up this book and read it for the first time. Immediate five stars -- an absolutely perfect, heart-breaking, page-turner of a book.

Wow. Just wow.

It's been a minute since I've read a book that I connected with like this. As soon as you start reading, you'll be invested in the story and characters.
I can't believe this is a debut; I look forward to reading more from Leslie.
ALL THE STARS.

Beautiful, atmospheric writing is the backbone of this story woven with tragedy, steadfast love, life-changing passion, and adversity. Broken Country is quietly powerful and thought provoking - a story that, although set in a rural farming community, is representative of our flawed world. This is sure to be at the top of many "best of 2025" lists.

I was captivated with each page. I was so engaged in the characters that I didn't want the story to end! This is definitely one of my top reads of the year!

It starts off with "The farmer is dead. He is dead and all everyone wants to know is who killed him." This story takes place in 1955 and 1968, dual timelines. Beth has a romantic relationship with Gabriel Wolfe in the summer of 1955. They are in love and want to spend the rest of their lives together.

Over a decade later, Beth is married to Frank and they are both grieving the loss of their young son.

This story does an excellent job of character development. The characters are complex and were so engaging and relatable.

If you like a love story with the pace and twists of a mystery thriller, I highly recommend this book! I am looking forward to this authors next book.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this complimentary copy for my honest review.

A sweeping novel, that was gripping the entire way through. Told from varying ¨Parts,¨ Broken Country is a battlefield of emotions and family drama and will leave you breathless. Though the topics are heavy on the heart, death of child, infidelity, loss of relationship, and murder, the characters are genuine and full of emotion. This quite possibly will be my favorite read of 2025. Simply stunning.

If you are looking for a very deep and emotional great read, this is the book you want. The story will stay with you for a long time. There is love, joy, sorrow, regret, deception. The beautiful descriptions play against the sadness, remorse and guilt. The story revolves around a love triangle and tragedy. The characters are well defined and consistent. It is not an easy read but it is one you will not want to put down.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Broken Country kept me riveted the whole time I read it. Can a person truly be in love with two people at one time? A love triangle-husband-wife-old boyfriend and all their secrets... The reader is kept guessing throughout the story to what has happened to the lives of these people and those around them. Going back and forth in time, this story traces the relationships that Beth has with her old boyfriend Gabriel and her husband Frank.
Beautifully written, there is passion, unlikely choices, and terrible consequences and repercussions as a result of the lives they live past and present. The last part of the book brought me to tears. Highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Clare Leslie Hall's Broken Country is sure to be a buzz book of 2025 - a family saga on a farm setting, this book took me in directions I did not expect and continued to impress me page after page. While this is literary fiction, the writing is approachable and I would highly recommend this well written story to all readers!

This book was written by a new author to me, and writes so beautifully! The details were so rich that you could close your eyes and put yourself right into the scenes in the book. I was totally engaged in this book from the start right through to the end. It has a lovely romance story line with tremendous depth to it. This book was compared to Delia Owen’s book Where The Crawdads Sing, which is why I requested it on Netgalley. This book has all the feels of a truly phenomenal powerful well written book that is not to be missed.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Publishing for providing me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

A story of love, betrayals, hope, impossible choices, and sacrifice. My goodness this book will have you anxiously turning the page. You will not be prepared for the heartbreak. 💔
The timeline is alternating between before and now. A true slow-burn mystery with a tragic accident at its core. So many bad decisions that lead to an unforgettable ending.
It is such a well written book. Add it to your cart now. 😭

Book releases 3/4/25.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Broken Country is a beautifully written and intense novel. I was immediately drawn in to the storyline and felt the main characters were developed well. I felt empathy for all the characters and despaired as to what a "good outcome" would be. My heart ached so much as the story progressed and characters found themselves in impossible situations. Without wanting to reveal any spoilers, the ending left me satisfied and these characters will remain on my mind for a long time.

My thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have never read any storyline like this or anything from this author before, I was very impressed. The story line involves a wife who is happily married to her husband, Frank. Together, they enjoy a simple, farm life. They share the grief of losing their son Bobby, but they try their best to heal and move forward. Then, Beth’s ex reappears, Gabriel reappears in their town. Beth broke up with him years earlier because she thought he was cheating on her with a woman his mother “thought he should marry.”

Now that Gabriel is back in town, he and Beth get reacquainted. Beth takes a strong liking to his son, Leo, who reminds her of her own son that she lost. As her relationship with Leo grows, so does her dormant feelings for Gabriel grows. One thing leads to another and her and Gabriel begin having an affair. The consequences are shocking, heartbreaking and eventually deadly.

Will Beth recover? Will she end up with Gabriel? Will she and her noble husband, Frank move forward or end it all? The truth is thrilling. I really enjoyed reading this. I love the author’s simple but descriptive writing. It was so easy to root for these characters, especially Frank. I definitely recommend this book and will read other books from this author.

OBSESSED. I don't think I'll ever truly recover from this book. It's no surprise why this book has garnered so much attention as it has. Not only lovingly written, the pastoral setting is described so romantically and the story itself is so unique. It is not your usual love triangle or star-crossed lovers ploy. The events of the book had my head spinning every other page. The ending! Shocking while I was reading it. The more I thought about the ending, the more I realized there was no other option. That was the best possible outcome.
And I can't talk about one character without talking about all of them and spoiling everything. This book should not be spoiled for anyone. Highly recommend going in completely blind like I did. I didn't think I was even going to like it because I don't like love triangles. But this isn't a love triangle, this is an epic love story between a woman and two men, and their children. This book had me crying, shaking, and in disbelief.


Best to read in the dark, dead of winter.

I loved it. I feel that a synopsis is too much of a spoiler when I think you should read it yourself, so instead I will discuss how this book makes you feel all the feels.

I was drawn in from page one – the writing is so beautiful and evocative. The English landscape is so vividly-described as to be nearly tangible, and the animals and people just come to life. The story is captivating – a classic love triangle that is well-structured, carefully-plotted, and told in short chapters that keep you turning pages for the next revelation. Even predicted plot twists are satisfying with such smart and competent story-telling. And the use of multiple timelines to reveal and develop the relationships and action builds tension and emotion in a steady and unrelenting way.
‘Broken Country’ is a heart-wrenching and exhausting journey. It is achingly beautiful and is still haunting me days after I have finished reading it. This book will be one of my favorite books of 2025; it sets a high bar for anyone to top it.

Thank you Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. Add this one to your TBR – it should be available on March 4, 2025.

{ ARC REVIEW }

• Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

Ya’ll, this was so good! Part Mystery & Thriller, part Romance, this had me feeling all the feels.

A bloody opening event sets off a firecracker sequence of things going wrong again and again, shaking up the idyllic life of happiness on a farm.

I related to this story so much, having grown up on a farm myself. Waking up early to do chores, getting to bed late with dirt still stuck under my fingernails even after numerous scrubs with a bar of soap, and experiencing the joy and loss of a newly born animal. It felt as though I had never left...

This story follows a love triangle and a murder case in a small, gossiping village. It’s hard not to get attached to some of the characters, flawed that they are, they are sweet and try really hard at being good.

Out March 4th, 2025! Preorder your copy today!

Beth is happily married and grieving the loss of her son. The boy she loved as a teenager and who broke her heart many years ago, returns to their English farming village and sets into motion events that will shape all of their lives.

I love how the author successfully combined so many genres into one incredible story. This compelling book had romance, mystery, courtroom drama, and some suspenseful moments. The characters emotions and actions were so human and honest. The ending completely had me in tears. I was overwhelmed with so many emotions by the end of this book.

I really liked the dual timeline that allowed us to slowly uncover the past and understand the characters. I recommend going into this one without reading the full synopsis. It’s such an emotional journey and you can feel the heaviness as you read.

+ young love
+ grief
+ secrets
+ impossible choices
+ courtroom drama

It gave me similar feelings to GO AS A RIVER and WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING!